Computer communication system having supplemental formats
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer communication system for transferring data between a plurality of nodes comprising:
- (a) A communication medium,(b) a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium for a transfer of data between said nodes;
wherein said transfer of data is a transfer of data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes, and(c) transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data from said source node to said destination node;
wherein said plurality of nodes is comprised of at least one default node and at least two supplemented nodes;
wherein each of said nodes has a format set comprised of one or more formats;
wherein said formats are defined in terms of data architecture;
wherein said data architecture is defined in terms of at least one member of a group consisting of encoding, encryption, compression and protocol;
wherein each of said format sets includes at least one default format;
wherein said at least one default format is included in the format sets of each of said nodes;
wherein the format set of each of said supplemented nodes includes at least one supplemental format in addition to said at least one default format; and
wherein said transfer format selection means is adapted to select a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node and which is compatible with said communication medium.
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Abstract
A computer communication system including a comunication medium, a plurality of nodes coupled to the communication medium, and a transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data between nodes. The system includes at least one default node and at least two supplemented nodes. Each node has a set of data transfer formats. A default format is included in the format set of each node. Each supplemented node has at least one supplemental format. Transfer format selection means in the form of circuitry and software provides for the selection of a data transfer format which is included in the source node format set and the destination node format set and is compatible with the communication medium. The source node includes a cache of node format sets. The source node searches for the destination node format set in the source node cache and selects a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node. Our invention also includes an attention signal, a network interface and the other devices, apparatus, methods and subject matter disclosed herein.
79 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A computer communication system for transferring data between a plurality of nodes comprising:
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(a) A communication medium, (b) a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium for a transfer of data between said nodes;
wherein said transfer of data is a transfer of data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes, and(c) transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data from said source node to said destination node; wherein said plurality of nodes is comprised of at least one default node and at least two supplemented nodes; wherein each of said nodes has a format set comprised of one or more formats; wherein said formats are defined in terms of data architecture; wherein said data architecture is defined in terms of at least one member of a group consisting of encoding, encryption, compression and protocol; wherein each of said format sets includes at least one default format; wherein said at least one default format is included in the format sets of each of said nodes; wherein the format set of each of said supplemented nodes includes at least one supplemental format in addition to said at least one default format; and wherein said transfer format selection means is adapted to select a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node and which is compatible with said communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A network interface for interfacing with a network having nodes and for supplementing the nodes of the network, said network interface comprising:
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(a) at least one supplemental format, and (b) transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data from a source node to a destination node; wherein said network is comprised of a communication medium and a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium for the transfer of data between nodes; wherein said transfer of data is a transfer of data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes; wherein each of said nodes has a format set comprised of at least one default format common to each format set; wherein said network interface is adapted to supplement a node selected from said nodes by adding said at least one supplemental format to the format set of said selected node; wherein said transfer format selection means is adapted to select a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node and which is compatible with said communication medium; and wherein said formats are defined in terms of data architecture;
wherein said data architecture is defined in terms of at least one member of the group consisting of encoding, encryption, compression and protocol. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer communication system for transferring data between a plurality of nodes comprising:
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(a) a communication medium, (b) a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium for a transfer of data between said nodes;
wherein said transfer of data is a transfer of data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes, and(c) transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data from said source node to said destination node; wherein said plurality of nodes is comprised of at least one default node and at least two supplemented nodes; wherein each of said nodes has a format set comprised of one or more formats; wherein each of said format sets includes at least one default format; wherein said at least one default format is included in the format sets of each of said nodes; wherein the format set of each of said supplemented nodes includes at least two supplemental formats in addition to said at least one default format; and wherein said transfer format selection means is adapted to select a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node and which is compatible with said communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer communication system for transferring data between a plurality of nodes comprising:
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(a) a communication medium (b) a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium for a transfer of data between said nodes;
wherein said transfer of data is a transfer of data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes and(c) transfer format selection means for selecting a format for the transfer of data from said source node to said destination node; wherein said plurality of nodes is comprised of at least one default node and at least two supplemented nodes; wherein each of said nodes has a format set comprised of one or more formats; wherein each of said format sets includes at least one default format; wherein said at least one default format is included in the format sets of each of said nodes; wherein the format set of each of said supplemented nodes includes at least one supplemental format in addition to said at least one default format; wherein said transfer format selection means is adapted to select a format which is common to the format sets of the source node and destination node and which is compatible with said communication medium; and wherein each of said supplemented nodes is adapted to transmit attention signals to said communication medium during transmission by it of a supplemental format transmission; and
wherein said attention signals indicate to the other nodes coupled to said communication medium that a supplemental format transmission is in progress. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. In a computer communication system comprising a communication medium and a plurality of nodes coupled to said communication medium, a method for transferring data from a source node selected from said nodes to a destination node selected from said nodes comprising transmitting attention signals from said source node to said communication medium during transmission of said data;
- wherein said data is in a supplemental format; and
wherein said attention signals indicate to the other nodes coupled to said communication medium that a supplemental format transmission is in progress. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
- wherein said data is in a supplemental format; and
Specification